1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a music box timepiece which has a disc music box instrument on a clock body, wherein a spare music box disc can be housed in the clock body so as to be seen from the front.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally known sounding means used for a time signal of a timepiece or the like includes a sounding circuit and a loud speaker.
Relatively large ones among desktop and wall clocks these years are often provided with a so-called tricky device that a decoration member such as a puppet operates on the hour, and a music is played in electronic sounds when the decoration member operates on the hour. And, music box sounds are often used for playing.
A timepiece which has electronic sounds to play a music box may be called a music box timepiece (hereinafter referred to as the pseudo-music box timepiece). But, generally, a timepiece which is provided with a mechanical music box instrument is called the music box timepiece, which is known from way back. This music box timepiece plays a predetermined music number and comprises sounding prongs in a strip shape with a plurality of sounding parts corresponding to the musical intervals, a barrel which is disposed to oppose the sounding prongs and provided with pins protruded to pluck the sounding parts of the sounding prongs with predetermined playing timing, and a drive unit for rotating the barrel at a predetermined speed.
As described above, the music box timepiece uses the barrel, needing a breadth for the barrel. Therefore, the timepiece becomes large.
On the other hand, the pseudo-music box timepiece does not have such a disadvantage, but lacks in realism or presence of the music box play. However, there is proposed to rotate a circular plate formed like a music box disc or to dispose a miniature of the music box, thereby creating an atmosphere of the music box timepiece.
In connection with the music box instrument itself, there is proposed a music box which can play a given music number by configuring to use a circular music box disc having the pattern for a predetermined music number and to change such a music box disc.
This music box disc is formed into a circular plate, one surface of the disc is divided into a plurality of tracks corresponding to music box petals of a music box sounding member, and engaging parts for playing are formed at positions in the circumferential direction corresponding to the timing of playing musical scales shared by the respective tracks. And, these engaging parts for playing are made of projections protruded from one surface of the music box disc or holes having a predetermined diameter. And, predetermined parts of the sounding member are plucked by these engaging parts for playing.
This type of disc music box is easy to handle the music box disc, so that the disc can be easily fitted or removed and changed in a short time. Therefore, when a plurality of music box discs for different music numbers are provided in advance, a desired music number is selected from these music box discs and the music box disc is changed, so that a music number to be played by the music box can be changed quickly and with ease. Thus, the disc music box is easy to mount a desired music box disc by selecting from a plurality of music box discs as compared with the music box provided with a stationary barrel for a single music only. It has an advantage that music numbers can be changed flexibly and easily.
Accordingly, the inventor studied a music box timepiece having a timepiece provided with a disc music box instrument. And, there was a problem of where the music box disc are stored.
Specifically, the music box using a disc has an advantage that the music box disc can be changed as described above. Therefore, the music box timepiece is also advantageous to use a plurality of music box discs.
For example, equipment such as a CD (compact disc) player which has a plurality of discs used exchangeably stores often the discs in a separately disposed storage. But, the music box timepiece uses a few music box discs and is rare to use dozens of them. Therefore, a special storage is not disposed, but an appropriate cabinet is used for storing them. And, it is apprehended that the stored music box discs are forgotten where they were stored and not used after all.